"On the summit the hill is level, and round about its crest runs a
cornice, to use an architectural term, of great rocks, which we
call a krantz in the Africander language. The British forts were
built immediately above this krantz.

"At about 10 P.M. we left the laager in order to climb the hill at
half-past 2 A.M. Having reached Neutral Hill, we left our horses
there and proceeded on foot. It was very dark, and all was still as
death. We walked forward slowly and spoke only in whispers, and yet
our progress was not so silent but that we feared we should be
heard. In the silence of the night the slightest rustle of tree or
shrub sounded loud in our ears, and the thud of our feet on the
loose stones seemed to me like the tramp of a troop of horses. The
enemy, thought I, would certainly become aware of our approach long
before we could even begin to climb the hill. But it seems after
all that I was mistaken, and that the sentry did not discover us
until we had approached very close. At three o'clock we reached the
deep dongas at the foot of the hill, and the foremost men passed
through. In about twenty minutes we had climbed almost two-thirds
of the hill, when we heard a beautiful voice ringing out in the
morning air: 'Halt! Who goes there?'

"No answer came from us. We continued climbing. A moment passed,
and then the silence was broken by a crash of a volley. Then
another and another. Everywhere, above and in front of us, the
flashes of the rifles leapt forth into the darkness, and the sharp
reports followed in such quick succession as to give the impression
of Maxims firing. All of a sudden I saw a great jet of flame, and
instantly the thunder of a cannon broke upon the startled air, and
presently behind us I could hear the shrapnel bullets falling on
the ground.

"Then many of those who had not yet begun to climb the hill turned
and fled; but others rushed upwards, and rapidly approached the
cornice of rocks, whence the heavy firing issued. Silence was now
unnecessary, and everywhere voices were heard encouraging the men.

"At half-past three we reached the reef of rocks and boulders, and
presently I heard that two burghers had already been wounded, while
another lay motionless, but it was as yet too dark to see who it
was.

"Be